Michael Julian: Why I am Running for a Seat on Rowan County Commission

Posted on September 12, 2017

Michael Julian, Candidate for Rowan County Commission 2018

♦ Rowan County is at a tipping point. We’ve got to make some serious changes to the direction of our county. I’ve not been involved in politics for years and years like some folks. Just a few years ago I started really paying attention to what our county and city leadership was doing. Taking a closer look comes with age and questioning where our tax dollars are being spent. This November I will be 53 and I need to be asking these important questions.

About 10 years ago I really began paying attention to what our county leadership was doing. Building baseball parks, mall purchases, building large green spaces, and getting into the water business just to mention a few. Now I’m not saying all of these undertakings are bad, but initially I really questioned all of them, especially the baseball park and the mall. The baseball park was sold to the city of Kannapolis and that was a huge load off of Rowan County taxpayers backs.

I stepped back and took a closer look at what the county wanted to do with the mall and thought what a great deal we got and how it would impact county government. That brings me to the current issue. Now several of our current commissioners want to invite private businesses to set up shop in parts of the West End Plaza. What? When are we going to move county government into this space? Chairman Edds is actively pursuing outside firms to set up shop in the mall, but I say not until we our government offices are in place.

Chairman Edds also wanted to spend $1 million to build two “Welcome to Rowan County” signs on both ends of the county. He claimed the money will be from private donations, but has anyone seen any of this money? The county is going to be on the hook for this if those who promised to donate don’t. Also our the county is going to have some money tied up in their design. I don’t see the majority of our commissioners doing anything except for photo ops and going from town to town signing pacts of interdependence laced with secrecy.

I’m told Judy Klusman is a good commissioner “she does everything Edds asks her to do”. She shouldn’t have to be asked to do anything, she ran for county commissioner. Does she not know what she needs to do or is she just a vote for Chairman Edds agenda? We need people who understand business and understand what business is looking for, someone who is willing to get out in the community and find out what our county needs. I’m willing to do those things and have been doing those things.

I am a manager at a multimillion dollar manufacturing facility right here in Rowan County. I was born and raised right here in our beautiful county and I want to see it prosper. With the right people in place, it will prosper again. We need infrastructure, we need county water, manufacturing buildings, but the right kind of buildings. But most of all we need to be safe in our homes and in our communities. We need commissioners who understand what it is like to grow up having to work hard to get ahead and what our middle class wants and needs.

I want to be the person on commission who people say Mike understands what it’s like to live life paycheck to paycheck. I raised two daughters with my wife of 28 years at home taking care of them. I understand the struggle, but I would not do it any differently. I want to be your person on county commission and I will be your person if you will vote for me. I don’t see any of the other 3 commissioners up for re-election in 2018 standing up for you. They’ve tied themselves to Salisbury special interests and you know how that’s going.